Engaging your students via distance can take many forms and there are a number of tools that you can use to help students continue to progress through your course. At a minimum, you should be in touch with your students once a week. Additionally, you should keep records of your contact with students and their attendance/participation in course activities. Whichever methods you use--and you can use several in a single course--make sure that students know your expectations regarding their engagement.

Asynchronous Engagement allows you and your students to communicate with each other when it is convenient. In this engagement, you and your students are not together and there may be delays of hours or days between communications sent and received. Tools to support asynchronous engagement include email and various Canvas functions including the inbox, announcements, and modules.

Synchronous Engagement allows you and your students to communicate in real time. If you use synchronous engagements, make sure that you schedule them during your normal class time to avoid conflicts with other instructors/courses. Tools to support synchronous engagement include phone calls, Google Hangouts Chat, the Canvas Chat function, and various functions in Zoom such as sharing of your Screen, Whiteboard, and hosting a live Recorded Session.

Collaboration allows you and/or your students to work together on projects or assignments. Tools to to support collaboration include Google Docs, various Canvas functions including Groups and Discussions, and the free podcasting app Anchor which allows for creating “podcasts with friends.”

With each of these tools, please keep in mind that not all students will have equal and/or consistent access to technology hardware and software and/or the internet.

Need help with incorporating technology into your teaching? Contact acadtech@mica.edu or schedule an appointment with Jamie Gillis.